NBA Free Agency 2019: Top-20 Players on Market

NBA free agency begins on June 30. To set the stage, rankings are provided below of the best players available (including restricted free agents and players with a team or player option) ahead of this summer's hectic free agency period.

*Photos courtesy of HoopsHype.com

1. Kawhi Leonard

The 2019 Finals MVP is the best player in basketball.

2. Kevin Durant 

The two-time Finals MVP is expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.

3. Kemba Walker

Walker earned All-NBA Third Team honors after registering 25.6 points per contest.

4. Kyrie Irving

Irving had the best regular season of his career, but flatlined in the playoffs. He missed 14 or more shots in each of the Celtics' final four postseason contests—all losses.

5. Jimmy Butler

Butler, acquired midseason by the 76ers, elevated his play in the postseason, executing best with the ball in his hands as the point forward.

6. Khris Middleton 

A first-time All-Star in 2019, Middleton helped the Bucks win a league-high 60 games.

7. Klay Thompson

A torn ACL could sideline Thompson for the season, but the five-time All-Star will still likely receive a max contract offer from the Warriors.

8. D'Angelo Russell (Restricted)

   

Russell attained All-Star honors in 2019 and finished second in the voting for the Most Improved Player award, trailing only Toronto's Pascal Siakam.

9. Tobias Harris

Harris averaged career-highs in points (20.0), rebounds (7.9), assists (2.8) and field goal percentage (48.7%). He played in all 82 games between the Clippers and 76ers.

10. Al Horford

The 33-year-old was a critical cog in the Celtics' consecutive runs to the Conference Finals in 2017 and 2018, but like his teammates, underperformed in 2019. He made one All-Star appearance in three seasons in Boston, which is expected to lose the big man in free agency.

11. Nikola Vucevic

Vucevic had a phenomenal regular season—registering career-bests with 20.8 points and 12 rebounds per contest—but was a total no-show in Orlando's first-round playoff defeat (11.2 points per game, 36.2 percent shooting).
12. Malcolm Brogdon (Restricted)

The former Rookie of the Year and restricted free agent guard, Brogdon became the eighth player in league history to join the 50-40-90 club—shooting 50.5% from the field, 92.8% on free throws and 42.6% from 3-point land.
13. Kristaps Porzingis (Restricted)

The 7-foot-3 big man hasn't played since February 6, 2018, then as a member of the Knicks. Expect the former All-Star to remain with the Dallas Mavericks.
14. DeMarcus Cousins

A four-time All-Star, Cousins endured an injury-riddled 2018-19 campaign.
15. Bojan Bogdanovic

Bogdanovic averaged 18 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 42.5% on 3-pointers in a career season.
16. Marc Gasol (Player Option)

Gasol played an instrumental role in the Raptors' elusive championship. He can accept his player option for this season to earn roughly $25.6 million with Toronto.
*Update: Gasol exercised his player option to remain with the Raptors.
17. Paul Millsap (Team Option)

Millsap is the Nuggets' defensive anchor. When Millsap was on the floor, Denver had a 107.3 defensive rating, which would have ranked eighth in the league over the course of an entire season. When he sat, the defensive rating plummeted to 111.9, which would have ranked 22nd in the NBA. 
*Update: Denver exercised its team option on Millsap.
18. JJ Redick

Redick accumulated a career-best 18.1 points per game last season, despite being a part of a loaded 76ers starting-5 in which he was almost always the fifth option on offense.
19. Harrison Barnes

Barnes surprisingly declined a $25.1 million player option with the Kings for next season. Barnes, 27, is a strong-boded defender who can score when called upon.
20. Julius Randle

In his first season in New Orleans, Randle registered a career-high in scoring with 21.4 points per contest with a 55.5 effective field goal percentage. He did, however, account for the third-worst Defensive Real Plus-Minus among centers in the NBA.

Myles Garrett Rips Kevin Durant for Joining Warriors, Riding 'Somebody's Coat Tails for a W'

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett looks down upon Kevin Durant for taking the easy path to winning a championship. Garrett explained his frustration with Durant for joining the Golden State Warriors in the summer of 2016, fresh off the team’s record-setting 73-win season.

“KD broke the league,” Garrett said on Thursday in an interview with Ken Carman and Anthony Lima on 92.3 The Fan when asked if he watched this year's NBA Finals.

“You hopped onto a 73-9 team and he took the easy way out in my mind,” Garrett said.

Myles Garrett says Kevin Durant broke the NBA by signing with Golden State. (Ron Schwane)

Garrett wisely pointed out that Durant signing with the 73-win Warriors—who narrowly defeated Durant’s Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2016 Western Conference Finals—is not comparable to LeBron James joining the Miami Heat in the summer of 2010. James left the Cleveland Cavaliers in free agency because the talent around him was subpar (Mo Williams was the second-best player on the 2009-10 Cavaliers!?!), unlike Durant who was playing alongside future Hall of Famer Russell Westbrook. James went to Miami, which had lost in the first round of the playoffs in 2010, to play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Durant signed with a Golden State team that had already maintained significant success without him, winning the title in 2015 and reaching Game 7 of the Finals in 2016.

“It's different when LeBron left. He went to [Miami to join] Wade and Bosh but it wasn't something that was already guaranteed, something you already knew was going to have immediate success. [James] had to gel and work things into place.”

The Warriors have won two straight titles with Durant. Garrett, the first overall selection of the 2017 NFL Draft, is not surprised by Golden State’s dominance.

“They were 73-9 before and you put the second-best player in the world on an already all-time great team and of course you're going to have success, pretty easy success. Anyone can have an off night and they can still find a way to win.”

Game 3 of the Finals supports Garrett’s assertion. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson struggled to get anything going offensively that night. Curry (11 points) had a horrific shooting night—missing 13 of 16 shots, including nine of his 10 three-point attempts—while Thompson was held to 10 points. But Durant bailed out his teammates with an otherworldly performance, scoring 43 points (15-of-23 shooting) with 13 rebounds and seven assists.

Now a two-time Finals MVP, Durant has played tremendous in each of the past two postseasons with the Warriors. But the fact remains that Durant is dominating on a roster that was already a powerhouse without him.

A competitive drive would prevent Garrett from ever hopping onto the best roster in the league just to win a championship, he says.

“If I were him I would've never made a move like that in the first place,'' he said. “Me, I'm too competitive to try and ride on somebody's coat tails to get a W. But for him, you might as well stay at the spot you're at now. There's no point in leaving since you've already taken that moniker where he's been called the snake and cupcake and all that. You might as well stay and just keep on winning.”

It’s hard to argue with any of Garrett’s criticism for Durant.

Durant undoubtedly took the easiest path to a championship. While a member of the Thunder, Durant almost dethroned the Warriors with the help of superstar teammate Russell Westbrook. Leaving the Thunder for the Warriors—a month removed from the teams’ seven-game Conference Finals showdown—was a snake move, no matter how you spin it.

Garrett, who shined with Cleveland when healthy (11 games played) in his rookie season, is preaching to the choir of many NBA fans who are upset with Durant. The media far too often coddles Durant, who spited his former Oklahoma City teammates and coaches passive aggressively with burner Twitter accounts, while also whining about the criticism sent his way for his move in free agency.

It’s refreshing to hear a fellow professional athlete speak out against Durant, who has coasted to consecutive championships.

Rockets' Role Players Shrink in Game 1 Loss

The Golden State Warriors demonstrated on Monday night why it is such a grueling task to defeat them come playoff time. The opposition must execute close to perfection. The Houston Rockets failed to do that in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals and now face a must-win contest on Wednesday night at the Toyota Center.

James Harden, expected to be named the league’s Most Valuable Player, performed at an MVP level—but so did Kevin Durant in the Warriors' 119-106 victory. While Harden scored a game-best 41 points, Durant recorded 37 of his own. Chris Paul, who posted 23 points, 11 rebounds and two steals, was on par with two-time MVP Stephen Curry (18 points, eight assists, two steals and one block).

Review of the game tape and a quick glance at the box score shows that both teams’ superstar duos came to play and essentially offset one another other. But the remaining cast of the Warriors severely outplayed Houston’s. There lies the problem for the Rockets. They don’t have the depth of talent to go neck-and-neck with the Warriors. No NBA team does.

On a night where the Rockets needed Clint Capela (who is far more than just a role player, as these playoffs have shown, but still clearly playing third fiddle to Harden and Paul) to dominate on both ends, he was instead held in check. Houston's center scored just 12 points (mostly off alley-oops) and had just six rebounds—the same amount as Curry.

P.J. Tucker, fresh off scoring 19 and 15 in his last two playoff contests, respectively, had one measly point. He missed all three field goal attempts and went 1-of-3 shooting from the charity stripe. Luc Mbah a Moute couldn’t muster a single point on 0-for-6 shooting, while Trevor Ariza registered just eight points.

Trevor Ariza struggled mightily against the Warriors in Game 1. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle)

The aforementioned forwards need to hit outside jumpers for Houston to have a chance this series. Tucker, Mbah a Moute and Ariza went a combined 1-for-9 from behind the arc. They didn’t make an impact on the glass (11 rebounds combined) and had no answer for Durant.

Ariza picked up his fifth foul less than three minutes into the second half. Tucker ended up spending the most time guarding Durant, who used his height to shoot over the top of Tucker. Mbah a Moute actually has the length to defend Durant, but struggled against him in limited chances and put forth a brutal overall showing—as evidenced by his game-worst minus -14 in 20 minutes of action.

Eric Gordon was the only non-star to deliver on offense for the Rockets. The 2017 Sixth Man of the Year had 15 points, five rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes. However, he turned the ball over four times, struggled on the defensive end and posted a minus-10.

So while Houston relied on Capela, Gordon, Tucker, Mbah a Moute and Ariza to aid its superstar duo, Golden State leaned on the likes of Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala to compliment its superstar pair. Advantage, Golden State.

Thompson had a field day, hitting six treys en route to a 28-point showing, while Green delivered his typical all-around offensive performance (five points, nine rebounds, a team-high nine assists) and stellar defense, which included a couple of steals and blocks.

Iguodala didn’t have nearly the statistical output as Thompson and Green, but his insertion into the starting unit (their “death lineup”) caused all sorts of problems for the Rockets, who were forced to sit Capela during some important stretches of the game to combat Golden State’s smaller unit.

The Rockets are counting on guys outside of Paul and Harden to come through in Game 2. If they don’t, the Rockets will likely be staring at an 0-2 series deficit, which all but ends their upset hopes.

NBA MVP Race: James Harden the Heavy Favorite; Davis Enters Conversation

1. James Harden, Houston Rockets

Harden leads the NBA in scoring (31.0 ppg) and player efficiency rating (30.62) and ranks third in assists per contest (8.9). All the meanwhile, the Houston Rockets are on a 16-game win streak and maintain the NBA’s best record. Further evidence of Houston’s dominance?—the Rockets are 33-1 when Harden, Chris Paul and Clint Capela suit up.

James Harden and the Rockets have a realistic shot to win the NBA title. (Tom Gutierrez/AP)

2. Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans

Behind the brilliance of Davis, the Pelicans have won nine consecutive games and vaulted to fourth-place in the Western Conference standings—all without DeMarcus Cousins, who was lost for the season to an Achilles injury. For the month of February, Davis ranked first in scoring, second in steals, third in rebounding and third in blocks. According to NBA.com, he is the first player to finish top-3 in the aforementioned marks since 1973-74—the season steals and blocks became official statistics.

During the current nine game winning streak Anthony Davis is averaging

37.7 points
14.6 rebounds
3.0 steals
2.8 blocks
53.2% FG%
41.9% 3PT% (NOT A MISPRINT)
61.8% TS%
33.2% USG%

— The Bird WWWWWWWWWrites (@thebirdwrites) March 7, 2018

3. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

James looked like the early favorite to win MVP through the first two months of the season, but now Harden is by far and away the leader of the race. The Cavs have struggled since the calendar flipped to January, hurting James’ chances to capture his fifth MVP trophy. Even so he has been great in the absence of Kevin Love and the departure of failed experiment Isaiah Thomas, averaging a triple-double for the month of February.

Congratulations to @KingJames – the Eastern Conference #KiaPOTM for the seventh February in a row!

For the first time in his career, LeBron averaged a triple-double for the month with 27.0 PPG, 10.5 RPG and 10.5 APG.

DETAILS → https://t.co/m5X26947UA pic.twitter.com/6i1ZeJbvlp

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 1, 2018

4. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers are riding an eight-game win streak, thanks in large part to Lillard. In the eight victories, Lillard has posted per-game averages of 32.6 points, 6.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds. As clutch as they come, Lillard is shooting 46.1% from the field in that span and Portland now has the third-best record in the West and the fifth-best mark in the NBA.

5. Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors

Durant won’t win MVP as long he is a member of the Warriors (unless Stephen Curry goes down with a long-term injury), but he can remain in the conversation because of his stellar play. Durant is averaging 25.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists with a 25.56 player efficiency rating. He is the driving force of the Warriors (50-14), who trail the Rockets by a half-game for the best record in the NBA.

Next in Line

6. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

7. Kyrie Irving, Boston Celtics

8. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

9. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder

10. DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors

Rockets Sign Luc Mbah a Moute, Adding Another Player to Match Up with Warriors

                With the Golden State Warriors retaining their core players this summer—re-singing Finals MVP Kevin Durant, giving two-time league MVP Stephen Curry a supermax contract and re-upping Andre Iguodala—while also bolstering the bench with the additions of Nick Young and Omri Casspi, the defending champions will be heavy favorites to win the title next year. For other title hopefuls, the most prudent move is to construct their roster to match up with the heavyweight Warriors. The Rockets—who traded for nine-time All-Star Chris Paul at the start of free agency—have done exactly that this offseason and Sunday’s signing of free agent combo forward Luc Mbah a Moute is further proof.

                An elite wing defender who shot a career-best 39 percent from three-point territory last season, Mbah a Moute is one of the most underrated players in the league. The 30-year-old Cameroonian small forward spent the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, earning 61 and 76 starts in the past two years, respectively. For all the awful moves Doc Rivers has made as the president of basketball operations for the Clippers, signing Mbah a Moute was a clear-cut home run. Mbah a Moute received an invite to the Clippers' training camp in 2015 and impressed the team enough to give him a guaranteed 1-year contract. He re-signed with the Clippers last offseason on a 2-year deal which held a player option for the second season. After declining his $2.3 million option last month, he has agreed to join a Rockets squad that has been busy this offseason in their title pursuit.

Luc Mbah a Moute became a catalyst for the Clippers' defense the past two seasons.  Kyusung Gong (Zuma Press)

                 Inking the defensive-minded Mbah a Moute to a veteran minimum deal is a steal for the Rockets, who are building one of the league’s strongest benches. While Mbah a Moute is a limited offensive player unable of creating his own shot, the 6’8” forward is capable of defending the likes of Durant and Iguodala. 

                Mbah a Moute joins the 2016-17 Sixth Man of the Year, Eric Gordon, among the Rockets reserves—along with Nene Hilario and the newly-signed P.J. Tucker. Tucker is another forward who prides himself on his tenacious defense. Tucker provides more on the offensive end than Mbah a Moute, however Mbah a Moute might be Houston’s best option to guard Durant because of his length.

                Rockets general manager Daryl Morey believes his team has "closed the gap" on the Warriors. Coming off a 55-win season, the Rockets do appear, on paper at least, to be the biggest threat to Golden State. They have two of the 10 best players in the league with MVP runner-up James Harden and superstar point guard Chris Paul in the backcourt. The team has also been linked to trade rumors for 10-time All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony all offseason. If Houston is able to land Anthony, they would feature three All-Stars in the starting five and potent backups. 

With James Harden and Chris Paul, the Rockets have arguably the NBA's most talented backcourt. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

                         The NBA Finals underscored the importance of a deep bench. The Warriors exposed the Cleveland Cavaliers’ lack of depth as Golden State’s reserves dominated their counterparts all series long.

                 In order to take down the Warriors, a team not only needs star power in the starting unit, but also capable, gritty role players off the bench who are willing to sacrifice individual accomplishments and do the little things on the court that the Warriors’ backups—Iguodala, Shawn Livingston, JaVale McGee and David West—did in their championship campaign last season. With Tucker and Mbah a Moute on board in Houston, the Rockets are following the most practical blueprint to go head-to-head with the Warriors and now serve as the most-feared challenger to dethrone the reigning champions.

5 Winners of 2017 NBA Offseason

                The 2017 NBA offseason has been an intriguing period, to put it lightly, after the league experienced its most lowbrow postseason in recent memory. With trades galore—some taking place before (and during) the NBA Draft and others occurring during the free agency frenzy—player movement has been abundant as the competitive landscape has again been remolded. Here’s a rundown of the five winners of the offseason.

Golden State Warriors

                The Warriors won the offseason for the second straight year. A summer removed from winning the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, the NBA champions re-signed Andre Iguodola to a three-year contract, gave two-time MVP Stephen Curry a supermax contract, retained Durant on a discount deal, kept backups Shaun Livingston and David West, brought back veteran starting center Zaza Pachulia and added guard Nick Young and forward Omri Casspi.

Shaun Livingston (left) and Andre Iguodala (right) re-signed with the NBA champion Warriors. (Russell Yip/The Chronicle)

                Curry, Durant, Iguodala, and Livingston have all proven their worth to the Warriors—so too have Pachulia and West, in limited roles, something Young and Casspi could do next season. Young shot 40.6 percent from three-point range last season and will get plenty of open looks on a loaded Golden State offensive attack. Casspi, inked to a veteran minimum contract of $2,106,470, can be slotted at both forward positions, shoots the three well and has the length to play reasonable defense. He dealt with injuries most of last year, but the season prior he registered career-high averages in points (11.8), rebounds (5.9), minutes (27.2) and 3-point percentage (40.9).

              It’s hard to imagine the Warriors not capturing a second consecutive title next season. They are far better than the second-best team in the league, the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have done nothing to close the huge talent gap between the defending champion Warriors.

Boston Celtics

                Securing the No. 1 seed in the East was a huge accomplishment for the upstart Celtics, but they were clearly overmatched in the Conference Finals by the Cavaliers. While Cleveland remains the favorite to return to the Finals, Boston could give the three-time reigning Eastern Conference champs a run for their money. The Celtics signed All-Star forward Gordon Hayward—who has "unfinished business" to accomplish with his college (Butler University) coach and current Celtics head coach Brad Stevens—in free agency and now have a second scorer to take some of the burden off electric guard Isaiah Thomas.

                Trading Avery Bradley—a free agent in 2018—was a tough, but necessary move by President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge. In shipping Bradley to the Detroit Pistons, the Celtics netted Marcus Morris, a lengthy defender who, in the past, has guarded LeBron James as well as any player possibly can.

                Though the Celtics relinquished the top pick to the Philadelphia 76ers via trade, they got their man in Duke forward Jayson Tatum with the third overall pick and collected an additional high lottery pick (the Los Angeles Lakers’ pick in 2018 if the selection falls anywhere from No. 2 through No. 5 in the Draft, and if not, the Sacramento Kings’ pick in 2019) and retained their deep cache of future draft picks.

                Jaylen Brown earned playoff minutes last season and could serve as a crucial piece to Boston’s team in 2017-18 and beyond. And if LeBron opts to bolt Cleveland in the summer of 2018, the Celtics could rule the East for the foreseeable future.

Oklahoma City Thunder

                The Thunder pulled off the shocker off the offseason by acquiring Paul George…for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. Even if George is just a 1-year rental and leaves for Los Angeles next summer, this deal is 100 percent worth it. The Thunder scraped Oladipo’s bloated contract and picked up one of the league’s best players all in one single move.

                With George on the Thunder, NBA MVP Russell Westbrook, fresh off averaging a triple-double for the 2016-17 campaign, now has a superstar teammate again—merely a year after Durant ditched town in taking the easiest path imaginable for a title by joining the 73-win Warriors.

                Adding forward Patrick Patterson and re-upping defensive stalwart Andre Roberson to a three-year, $30 million contract was icing on the cake for Oklahoma City, which is now in the conversation with the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets for the second-best team in the West.

Paul George and Andre Roberson are now teammates in Oklahoma City. (Brian Spurlock/USA Today Sports)

Houston Rockets

                Speaking of the Rockets, the 55-win franchise acquired Chris Paul, a top-10 player in the league and now-former Los Angeles Clippers superstar point guard.

                Though it cost the Rockets NBA All-Defense First-Team member Patrick Beverly, the 2015 Sixth Man of the Year (Lou Williams) and frontcourt youngsters Sam Dekker and Montrezl Harrell, this trade is a home run for Houston, which now has a juggernaut 1-2 punch of James Harden and Paul that is every bit as talented as any duo in the league.

                The logistics of a Harden-Paul duo—two players who love to have the ball in their hands—shall be interesting. But it was clear last year that Harden deserved more help after the NBA’s assist leader looked absolutely gassed in the team’s second-round postseason defeat at the hands of the Spurs.

                The Rockets are rumored to have interest in 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony. This trio would be full of star power, and while Anthony really feigns holding onto the ball, the hope is he can be utilized as a power forward who is switch-impervious in the pick-and-roll with Harden and Paul.

Minnesota Timberwolves

                The Timberwolves look destined to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2004. They landed Jimmy Butler in a Draft Night trade with the rebuilding Bulls. Butler rejoins forces with Tom Thibodeau, who coached the three-time All-Star in Chicago.

Tom Thibodeau and Jimmy Butler will be reunited in Minnesota. (Tom Zanine/USA Today Sports)

                Minnesota also added Jeff Teague, a formidable point guard who is two years removed from an All-Star Game appearance, and signed veterans Taj Gibson and Jamal Crawford.

               Adding Crawford, the three-time Sixth Man of the Year nearing the end of his career, adds a needed three-point maker, but the shooting-deprived Timberwolves still need more guys to hit buckets from the outside on a consistent basis to join the likes of the elites in the West. With that said, Karl Anthony-Towns, Butler and Andrew Wiggins are a trio to be feared for years to come and gives a Minnesota franchise its first real excitement since trading away Kevin Garnett in the summer of 2007.

NBA Player Rank 2014: Nos. 10-1

10. Stephen Curry (PG) - Golden State Warriors

2013-14 SEASON

PPG 24.0

REB 4.3

ASST 8.5

FG% 47.1

Curry recorded career-highs in points and assists in 2013-2014, earning him a spot on the All-NBA Second Team. He became the first Warriors player to earn second team All-NBA honors since Latrell Sprewell in 1993-94. Curry knocked down 261 three-pointers, leading the NBA in that accolade for the second consecutive year. He had four triple-doubles this season, tied for second in the league with Joakim Noah and trailing only Lance Stephenson, who recorded five.


9. Dwight Howard (C) – Houston Rockets

2013-14 SEASON

PPG 18.3

REB 12.2

ASST 1.8

FG% 59.1

In the center's first season in Houston, Howard finished in the top-five in rebounds (fourth), double-doubles (tied for fourth with 57) and field goal percentage (third). He made his seventh All-NBA Team, this time earning second team honors. Howard was a dominant force in the postseason--despite the Rockets bowing out to the Trail Blazers in the first-round--averaging 26.0 points and 13.7 rebounds.


8. Paul George (SF) – Indiana Pacers

2013-14 SEASON

PPG 21.7

REB 6.8

ASST 3.5

FG% 42.4

A year after winning the NBA's Most Improved Player award, George was named to the All-NBA Third Team. George's contract included the "Rose Provision," which allows for a bonus in maximum contracts if the player wins the MVP, starts two All-Star games, or in his case, is named to two All-NBA teams (he was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2012-2013 as well). George cashed in on $7 million as a result of the provision in a season that saw him average 21.7 points, 6.8 boards, and 1.9 steals in 36 minutes per game. In the Pacers' run to the Eastern Conference Finals, George recorded 22.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per contest.

7. Russell Westbrook (PG) – Oklahoma City Thunder

2013-14 SEASON

PPG 21.8

REB 5.7

ASST 6.9

FG% 43.7

Failing to make an All-NBA Team for the first time in four years as a result of 36 games missed due to injury, Westbrook still had another stellar season as the emotional torchbearer for the Thunder. His finest moment of the regular season came in a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, when he tallied a triple-double in a mere 20 minutes of play (second fastest triple-double in NBA history). He averaged 26.7 points, 8.1 assists, 7.3 rebounds and 2.2 steals during the 19 playoff games the Thunder played this postseason. Westbrook, who recorded a career-high 1.9 steals during the regular season, has said he plans to spend the bulk of his summer refining his defensive skills. 

6. Blake Griffin (PF) – Los Angeles Clippers

2013-14 SEASON

PPG 24.1

REB 9.5

ASST 3.9

FG% 52.8

The fourth-year forward had his best season as a pro in 2013-2014, leading the Clippers in scoring (career-best 24.1 ppg) as he shot 52.8 percent from the field and a career-best 71.5 percent from the free-throw line. Griffin was able to improve his jumper immensely--the Achilles heel in his game--to become a more versatile scorer. His defensive interior presence was felt this season, likewise his usual dunk theatrics on the offensive end. Griffin finished third in MVP voting and was named to the All-NBA Second Team for the third straight year.

5. Kevin Love (PF) - Minnesota Timberwolves

2013-14 SEASON

PPG 26.1

REB 12.5

ASST 4.4

FG% 45.7

Love, by far the biggest name on the trade market, led the NBA with 65 double-doubles this season while averaging 26.1 points and 12.5 assists in 36 minutes per game. Love was named to the All-NBA Second Team, the second time he has earned these honors in the past three years. He also set Timberwolves franchise records for three-pointers made (190) and free throws made (520) in a season. Love posted otherworldly numbers in the month of February (34.1 ppg, 14.1 rpg), becoming the first player since Moses Malone in 1982 to average at least 34 points and 14 rebounds over an entire month. Love finished third in PER, fourth in win shares, sixth in wins against replacement, fifth in true shooting percentage and posted the best assist rate among all power forwards in 2013-2014.


4. LaMarcus Aldridge (PF/C) - Portland Trail Blazers

2013-14 SEASON

PPG 23.2

REB 11.1

ASST 2.6

FG% 45.8

Aldridge earned his second All-NBA Third Team honors this season, posting career-highs in points (eight-most in NBA) and rebounds (seventh-most in league). He shot a career-best 82.2 percent from the free-throw line. Aldridge cemented his status as the best power forward in the NBA in the eyes of many with his heroics in the first-round of the playoffs versus Houston, putting together consecutive 40-point games as he led the Trail Blazers to the Conference Semifinals for the first time in 14 years.


3. Chris Paul (PG) - Los Angeles Clippers

2013-14 SEASON

PPG 19.1

REB 4.3

ASST 10.7

FG% 46.

Paul was named to the All-NBA First Team for the fourth time in his career, leading the league with 10.7 assists and 2.48 steals per game this season. Undoubtedly the best point guard in the league, Paul steered the Clippers to a franchise-best 57 wins this season, reaching the 6,000 career-assist milestone in the process. 


2. Kevin Durant (SF) - Oklahoma City Thunder

2013-14 SEASON

PPG 32.0

REB 7.4

ASST 5.5

FG% 50.3

Durant won the MVP award in 2013-14, notching his fourth scoring title of his career in the process. He averaged career-highs in points (32.0) and assists per game (5.5), as well as posting 7.4 rebounds per contest. Durant had a streak of 41-straight games with 25 or more points scored. He was named to his fifth consecutive All-NBA First Team.  Durant shot 50 percent from the field and 39 percent from behind the arc. He also had two 50-point games and 14 40-point contests. 


1. LeBron James (SF) - Miami Heat

2013-14 SEASON

PPG 27.1

REB 6.9

ASST 6.4

FG% 56.7

The four-time MVP and two-time Finals MVP shot a carer-high 56.7 percent from the field in 2013-14. James was named to the All-NBA First Team for the eighth time in his career. He also got a spot on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. The highlight of his regular season came when he scored a career-high and Heat franchise-record 61 points in a March win versus the Charlotte Bobcats. James guided the Heat to their fourth consecutive Finals this season.